Robert Pietrzak, PhD, MPH, professor of psychiatry and of public health (social and behavioral sciences), has been chosen to receive the Distinguished Contribution to the Science of Psychology Award from the Connecticut Psychological Association (CPA).
The award will be presented at the CPA Annual Convention on October 24 at Yale West Convention Center.
The Connecticut Psychological Association celebrates excellence in psychology across the state through 17 award categories. These awards recognize contributions in clinical practice, research, education, advocacy, community partnerships, and lifetime achievement.
The Distinguished Contribution to the Science of Psychology Award acknowledges scientists whose scientific research has significantly enriched the field of psychology.
Pietrzak, who has published more than 650 articles, was nominated for the award by Peter Na, MD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry.
Pietrzak is director of the Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory in the Clinical Neurosciences Division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. His primary research interests include the psychosocial and genetic epidemiology of trauma-related disorders, with a particular emphasis on military veterans, resilience across the lifespan, and the integration of genetic, neuroimaging, and psychosocial approaches.
For the past 15 years, Pietrzak has led the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), one of the most comprehensive, nationally representative studies of U.S. veterans’ mental health. Findings from the NHRVS have played a key role in shaping national policy and clinical practice throughout the VA healthcare system.